Spitfire LA198

“Spitfire LA198” is a Mark 21 Spitfire built in 1944 with a Rolls Royce Griffon 61 engine and a five blade propeller. It flew with the 602 City of Glasgow Squadron between 1947-1949.

The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries during World War II. There were different Spitfire configurations built using different wing configurations. The Spitfire was designed as a short-range, high-performance interceptor aircraft. The Spitfire’s distinctive elliptical wing was designed to have the thinnest possible cross-section, helping give the aircraft a high top speed.

Playing a key role in Battle of Britain, from July to October 1940, the Spitfire was perceived to be the main RAF fighter. In reality the more numerous Hawker Hurricane shouldered a greater burden against Nazi Germany’s air force, the Luftwaffe. Spitfires earned their reputation by having a lower attrition rate and a higher victory-to-loss ratio than Hurricanes because of its higher performance.